Inflight service carts, i.e. wheeled serving trolleys, made from aluminium are used in the transportation, storage, and serving of food and beverages in aircraft. In the manufacture of these carts two different dimensioning systems are used internationally, with the cart and cabinet systems in question being named after them. The dimensions of the units according to the ATLAS and KSSU dimensioning standards vary according to the type and model of aircraft.
At present, it is impossible to keep food carts overnight in an aircraft when the aircraft is overnighting at an airport waiting for a return flight in the morning, due to food spoilage. The aircraft's electrical systems are shut down overnight and food in inflight service carts left in the aircraft will spoil if the temperature becomes too high. To remain servable, food products should remain at less than +8° C. until they are served and eaten. The storage of beverage carts too overnight in an aircraft leads to the warming of beverage packages and beverages to be served, and to an unpleasant serving temperature, as well as to spoilage of products, if the product requires refrigerated storage.
The refrigeration and preservation at serving temperature of food trays and beverage drawers transported in inflight service carts generally takes place by means of carbon-dioxide-ice in a sheet or pellet form. As a refrigerant, carbon dioxide ice is very effective, but is often an uneven substance that rapidly chills products and rapidly evaporates.
EP application 08718543 discloses an insulated food-transportation container, in which a refrigerant gel can be used as the refrigerant.
A solution is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,906,744, in which a refrigerated chamber, from which chilling is led outside the chamber with the aid of a thermal conductor, is attached to the frame of an inflight service cart. The unit is difficult to detach and fill, the solution also does not disclose a solution, by means of which capacity can be increased by increasing the number of units.